Adjustable but locked-on temporary



W. S. REIE R Aug. 1 1, 1959 Filed May 10, 1957 ml 9 m Wi n w a u 4 44,/. M m M HM. wi \1||- W H! HH11 9 ii I I m 2 W w w E w Q HHHHHH |Hll H M 1 1 H W a w a ADJUSTABLE BUT LOCKED-ON TEMPORARY CAP FOR PIPE William S. Reier, Lake Geneva, Wis.

Application May 10, 1957, Serial No. 658,273

Claims. (Cl. 220-245) When cement work is to be done on the floor of a room having a pipe coming up through the floor, but which is to terminate at or near floor level, it is desirable to provide a temporary cap over the pipe, and many such devices have been tried in the past. Generally speaking, they have only partially satisfied the need.

A typical problem is in connection with the tiling of a bathroom floor. Eventually, one surface of the top flange portion of the fitting called a closet flange is to be flush with the top of the tile floor. The plumber installs the soil pipe before the concrete for the tile floor is laid. Some of them wait until after the floor is finished and hardened before applying the closet flange to the soil pipe, so as to be sure to get it at just the right position with respect to the floor. If the plumber merely leaves the flanges loosely set around the soil pipe at approximately the right level, perhaps stuffing the soil pipe with rags, a cement worker is likely to remove the flange. Then the plumber will have to spend much time chipping the concrete away around the soil pipe in order to make room for the installation of the flange. Furthermore, even if the fiange is left in place, it is likely to be either a little too high or a little too low. If it is too low, it is likely to become more or less buried and he will have trouble finding it, or at least will have to spend time cleaning it. This is wasteful. If it is too high, it is in the way of the leveling operations of the cement worker. Temporary caps which might seem obvious are subject to the same difliculty as to height. If they are too high, they are in the way of the tile setter or cement men, some of whom will simply remove the cap so that chipping away will be needed (and probably drop cement in the soil pipe). If the temporary cap is too low, it gets buried and is hard to find.

According to the present invention the difliculty is solved by providing a temporary cap which is not readily removed by the cement worker or tile setter but which is readily adjustable as to height. Hence, the plumber can set it high enough to be sure it is at least as high as the ultimate floor or cement level, and when the cement worker finds it in his way he will merely screw it down to the right level. Since he can use it as a leveling guide, he is not likely to screw it down too far and bury it. When the plumber returns, he is equipped with a proper tool for easily removing the temporary cap, and it leaves a recess in which he can readily install the closet flange. Because the soil pipe is unthreaded, the cap is carried by a base which clamps to the pipe, preferably by screw operated clamping means.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings.

Designation of figures Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration, shown in conjunction with the top of a soil pipe and the subflooring for a tile floor.

He can then release the latch 23 and remove the cap -13.-

2,899,099 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 Figure 2 is a similar view with some parts omitted, but showing the special wrench in place for releasing the latch and adjusting the core expander.

' Figure 3 is a fragmentary view showing the insertion of the tamper resisting disc.

Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

General description The invention is illustrated in conjunction with the upper end of a soil pipe 11 upstanding over the sub-floor 12 on which concrete is to be laid, either for a concrete floor as as a base for ceramic tile. In a sense, the heart of the invention is the molding or recessing cap 13. In another sense, the heart of the invention is in the assembly by which this cap 13 is locked on but adjustably positioned.

This is accomplished by a base which forms or includes an expanding core 14, expanded by a tapered plug or core expander 16. The expanding core 14 is internally threaded, and the plug 16 engages the lower part of the expanding core 14 with a wedging action. Either the core expander 16 may be of upwardly decreasing diame ter, the bottom portion of the core 14 may be of upwardly decreasing internal diameter, or both.

The core 14 is provided with a plurality of slots 17 extending upwardly from its bottom. The slots 17 divide the lower portion of the expanding core 14 into downwardly extending arcuate fingers 18. Friction padding 19 is carried on the outside of the fingers 18 to engage the inside of the soil pipe 11 as shown in Fig. 1.

When the core expander 16 is screwed up to the position shown in Fig. 1, or higher if necessary, padding 19 firmly grips the inside surface of soil pipe 11.

The cap 13 is provided with a skirt or molding flange 21 which extends down around the outside of the soil pipe 11. The flange or skirt 21 is of the proper size so that when later it is removed from the hardened concrete surrounding it, there will be room for the desired fitting such as a conventional water closet flange to be set in place. The cap 13 is also provided with a second smaller skirt or sleeve 22 which is externally threaded to engage threads on the inside of core 14, so that the height of the cap 13 may be adjusted by screwing it up or down. Preferably suitable means is provided for preventing unauthorized removal of the cap 13. It is preferred that this be a releaseable latch, such as the latch 23. In the illustrated form this latch is urged by spring 24 toward a position in which it will engage an annular shoulder 26 just after the cap 13 has been screwed upwardly far enough to cause disengagement of the threads from one another. Latch 23 will thus prevent lifting the cap 13 off, and can not be forced or broken by screwing the cap further out. Preferably an unthreaded overlap portion 25 is provided to keep the parts centered at this time.

Access to the latch 23 is normally prevented by some tamper-discouraging device such as snap disc 27, which will not be readily removed by the uninformed. The cap 13 can be applied with disc 27 in place, because latch 23 is cam-shaped to ride over the shoulder 26 as the cap is being applied.

When the tile floor has been laid and the plumber returns to install the flange, he will remove the plate 27.

Further details I Although one skilled in the art would be able to construct from the drawings and from the foregoing description a device embodying the principles described, along either the lines of the illustrated form or some different form, a further description of the illustrated form may be helpful.

Conveniently, the padding 19 may be in the form of a rubber sleeve or band elastically stretched around the core 14'. It may be held in place by content or by interengaging formations. For example, a small annular head 36 may be formed on the inside of the sleeve 19 and may fit within an annular groove 37 formed on the outside of the core 14.

A somewhat similar sleeve or band 38 is provided around the top of the core 14, but this hand does not firmly engage the inside of the soil pipe 11. This band 38' serves as a centering guide and it may have an external diameter (when in place) small enough to fit smoothly within even the internally-smallest of the soil pipes of the nominal size for which it is designed. To provide enough tolerance for commercial variations in the soil pipes, this means that it will fit a little loosely in some pipes. This effect can be minimized by providing the band 38 with ribs 39, the rubber in band 38 and ribs 39 being soft enough so that these ribs are easily compressed to accommodate the variations in internal diameters of the soil pipes. I

The fingers or segments 18 preferably have a set such that in their normal position, with the expander 16 screwed down at least as far as shown in Fig. 2, the band or padding 19 will not grip against the soil pipe 11. The slots 17 are of such length and number (perhaps more than shown), and the material of the core 14 of such nature, that the fingers or segments 18 may be expanded resiliently far enough to grip the inside surface of the soil pipe 11 firmly even with the largest size variations from the nominal size.

a In the illustrated form, the tamper-discouraging plate or disc 27 changes its maximum diameter when snapped from the Fig. 3 condition to the Fig. 1 condition. Thus with accurate machining. of the parts, the plate 27, in the Fig. 3 condition barely has clearance to be dropped into place as seen in Fig. 3. Here it comes to rest on annular shoulder 42. By pressing the center of snap disc 27 further downwardly, it will snap to the condition shown in Fig. l, in which its diameter is now large enough to prevent upward removal of the plate 27 until it has again been snapped to the condition shown in Fig. 3. If the bore through which disc 27 is dropped is undercut above shoulder 42 as at 43 disc 27 interlocks with the undercut. Without the undercut, the interlock is one of elastic deformation. The plumber may remove this disc in either of two ways. If it is provided with a small center hole, or if he drills one in it, he can insert a hook and resnap disc 27 to the Fig. 3 condition after which it will lift right out. The plumber can also drive the disc 27 downwardly, destroying it if necessary. If the shoulder 42 is quite narrow, the disc 27 may be reuseable even though driven downwardly.

It will be observed that the skirt 21 is tapered, with a downward reduction in external diameter. This is to facilitate removal after the concrete surrounding it has hardened. The outer surface should be accurately concentric with the threads on skirt 22, and should be smoothed or even polished. If a mold release compound is applied, the cap can be turned after hardening of the concrete. The release compound should be one suitable for Portland cement, and may be plain petrolatum. If found desirable, a paper sleeve can be wrapped around skirt 21 for each installation. Alternatively, the skirt 21 could be separable or a temporary skirt applied in its place at each installation. If the skirt is thin and of low cost it may conceivably be allowed to remain in position permanently. In that event, its inside dimensions should be such as to receive the desired fitting such as a closet flange.

The skirt 21, or any temporary skirt which replaces it, should have a reasonably close fit with the outside wall of soil pipe 11. Internal flange 51- has been illustrated having a slight clearance around the soil pipe 11. If it is found that under some conditions cement wells up into this clearance, the flange 51 could be capped with an annular soft rubber grommet sealing against the outer surface of soil pipe 11-.

I claim:

1. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base including screw operative clamping means for clamping it to the pipe, a cap threaded to the base for adjustment axially of the pipe, said cap surrounding the end of the pipe and having an outer contour adapted, when removed from concrete poured around it, to leave a recess adapted to receive a fitting for the pipe, limiting means protected by the cap for preventing removal of the cap, and tamper discouragingmeans for access through the cap to release saidlimiting means.

2. A temporary cap according to the preceding claim characterized by an expandable core forming part of the base, a core expander threaded in said core and having on its outwardly exposed face formations adapted for engagement with a special wrench but not ordinary tools, the access means of the cap being adapted to permit the passage of said wrench through the cap.

3. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base in cluding clamping means for clamping it to the pipe, a cap threaded to the base for adjustment axially of the pipe, said cap surrounding the end of the pipe and having an outer contour adapted, when removed from concrete poured around it, to leave a recess adapted to receive a fitting for the pipe, limiting means protected by the cap for preventing removal of the cap, and tamper-discouraging means for access through the cap to release said limiting means.

4. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base including clamping means for clamping it to the pipe, a cap carried by the base for adjustment axially of the pipe, said cap surrounding the end of the pipe and having an outer contour adapted, when removed from concrete poured around it, to leave a recess adapted to receive a fitting for the pipe, limiting means protected by the cap for preventing removal of the cap, and tamper-discouraging means for access through the cap to release said limiting means.

5. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base in cluding clamping means for clamping it to the pipe, a cap carried by the base for adjustment axially of the pipe, said cap surrounding the end of the pipe, and adapted to provide a recess in concrete laid around the pipe to receive a fitting for the pipe, limiting means protected by the cap for preventing removal of the cap, and tamper-discouraging means for access through the cap to release said limiting means.

6. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base including clamping means for clamping it to a pipe, a cap carried by the base and adjustably connected to the base for adjustment with respect to the clamped base and with respect to the pipe; said cap telescopically surrounding the end of the pipe and shielding the end of the pipe through a substantial range of adjustment, and adapted to provide a recess in concrete laid around the pipe to receive a fitting for the pipe; and said cap having an opening therethrough, and a tamper-discouraging closure for the opening, for aflording access through the cap to facilitate removal of the temporary cover from the pipe; said temporary cover including means limiting the movement of the cap and substantially preventing removal of the clamping means Without said access.

7. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base in eluding clamping means for clamping it to a pipe, a cap carried by the base and adjustably connected to the base for adjustment with respect to the clamped base and with respect to the pipe; said cap telescopically surrounding the end of the pipe and shielding the end of the pipe through a substantial range of adjustment, and adapted to provide a recess in concrete laid around the pipe to receive a fitting for the pipe; said temporary co'ver including means tending to limit the movement of the cap, to prevent its removal, and to prevent unauthorized access to the clamping means of the base; and said temporary cover also in cluding means, readily operated by an authorized person for making the last named means inelfective.

8. A temporary cover for a pipe, according to claim 7, in 'which the clamping means includes an expandable core for gripping the inside of the pipe.

9. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base including screw-operated clamping means for clamping it to a pipe, a cap carried by the base and adjustably connected to the base for adjustment with respect to the clamped base and with respect to the pipe; said cap telescopically surrounding the end of the pipe and shielding the end of the pipe through a substantial range of adjustment, and adapted to provide a recess in concrete laid around the pipe to receive a fitting for the pipe; said temporary cover including means normally made inaccessible by the cap tending to limit the movement of 6 the cap with respect to the base, to prevent its removal, and to prevent unauthorized access to the clamping means of the base; and said temporary cover also including means afiording access to a person equipped with a special tool, unlikely to be possessed by an unauthorized person, for unscrewing the clamping means.

10. A temporary cover for a pipe including a base including screw-operated clamping means, having an operating element, for clamping it to a pipe by expansion against the inside of the pipe, a cap carried by the base and adjustably connected to the base for adjustment with respect to the clamped base and with respect to the pipe; said cap telescopically surrounding the end of the pipe and shielding the end of the pipe through a substantial range of adjustment, and adapted to provide a recess in concrete laid around the pipe to receive a fitting for the pipe; said temporary cover including means normally made inaccessible by the cap tending to limit the movement of the cap with respect to the base, to prevent its removal, said cap having an aperture fitted with a pressout closure, and said clamping means being constructed with its operating element normally concealed by the cap and substantially spaced beyond said aperture to be relatively inaccessible without a tool capable of reaching through the aperture and engaging said operating element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,176,463 Kimrnel Mar. 21, 1916 1,432,475 Lord Oct. 17, 1922 2,522,057 Owens Sept. 12, 1950 

